Fix "URL unavailable" errors and improve website tracking with the ActivTrak Assist Browser Extension—a lightweight add-on that ensures complete activity capture when browsers hide URL information.
Contents
- How it works
- Requirements
- Windows OS
- macOS
- Account-wide enablement
- Troubleshooting
- Best practices
- Next steps
How it works
Modern browsers function like mini-operating systems, running numerous web applications that are crucial to business operations. Between full-screen modes, development tools, pop-ups, and privacy features, the ActivTrak Agent sometimes can't detect which websites users visit. This creates gaps in your data with activities marked as "URL unavailable."
The ActivTrak Assist Browser Extension solves this by communicating directly with your browser to capture URLs the agent can't see. It works silently alongside the agent, filling in missing website data without affecting browser performance.
Two-step process
Browser extensions require two steps: enabling and deploying.
Enabling tells the agent to listen for URL data from the extension. Deploying installs the extension on browsers. If you enable without deploying, the agent waits for data that never arrives, continuing the "URL unavailable" problem.
Common scenarios that block URL capture
- The browser is running in full-screen mode
- Search dialogs or pop-ups covering the address bar
- Development tools or browser inspector panels open
- Certain web applications that interfere with detection
- Privacy-focused browsers or extensions block data
- Firefox on macOS (requires an extension for any URL capture)
ChromeOS Agent vs. ActivTrak Assist Browser Extension
These two tools both install as browser extensions, which can make them easy to confuse. Here's how they're different.
ActivTrak Assist Browser Extension
The ActivTrak Assist Browser Extension works alongside the desktop agent on Windows and Mac devices. It enhances activity tracking by capturing more detailed URL data than the agent collects on its own. If your users are on Windows or Mac and you want more complete web activity data, this extension complements your existing agent deployment.
ChromeOS Agent
The ChromeOS Agent is the agent for Chromebook devices. Because ChromeOS doesn't support a traditional desktop agent, the ChromeOS Agent handles all activity tracking directly from the browser. It's a standalone solution built specifically for ChromeOS environments.
Which one do you need?
- Windows or Mac users → Deploy the desktop agent. Add the ActivTrak Assist extension for enhanced URL tracking.
- Chromebook users → Deploy the ChromeOS Agent. No desktop agent or additional extension is needed.
Requirements
Domain-bound systems
- Target browser installed
- Internet connectivity
- Network access to the domain controller (for policy conflicts)
Workgroup systems
- Target browser installed
- Internet connectivity
Windows OS
For best results when adding browser extensions to existing installations:
- Completely uninstall the current ActivTrak Agent
- Download and install the latest version of the ActivTrak Agent
- For Chrome, Edge and Opera, the extension should be installed before configuring the Agent. The extensions can be installed from the specific browser's web store. Additionally, Chrome and Edge can be installed via GPO using the following extension IDs:
Chrome: cpgdkomjahikojeoiigeidjpccncmjkh
Edge: gandpjcpohekjcecaomnejegkmbcmdje
Configure at the machine level for all users. Chrome and Edge support completely silent force-installation through Group Policy. - Use the command line with extension parameters (see below). Important: Replace "xxxxxx" and "token" with the installer location and unique identifiers of the downloaded MSI file.
- Verify extensions appear in the browser after installation
| Enable specific browsers |
msiexec /i ATAcctxxxxxx_token.msi USE_CHROME_EXT=1
|
| Enable all browsers at once |
msiexec /i ATAcctxxxxxx_token.msi USE_ALL_EXTS=1
|
|
Force installation (downloads and installs extensions) |
msiexec /i ATAcctxxxxxx_token.msi FORCECHROMEEXTENSION=1
|
Windows OS overview
|
Browser extension |
Windows Agent |
Enable via Command Line |
Enable & force install via Command Line |
|---|---|---|---|
| All supported browsers | 8.3.4+ |
USE_ALL_EXTS=1
|
|
| Chrome | 8.2+ |
USE_CHROME_EXT=1
|
FORCECHROMEEXTENSION=1
|
| Edge | 8.3.4+ |
USE_EDGE_EXT=1
|
FORCEEDGEEXTENSION=1(requires 8.5+) |
| Firefox | 8.3.4+ |
USE_FIREFOX_EXT=1
|
FORCEFIREFOXEXTENSION=1(requires 8.5+) |
| Opera | 8.3.4+ |
USE_OPERA_EXT=1
|
Not supported |
Silent deployment
For silent deployments, you will need to add "/quiet" to the end of the command line. For example: USE_CHROME_EXT=1 / quiet
macOS
For best results when adding browser extensions to existing installations:
- Completely uninstall the current ActivTrak Agent
- Download and install the latest version of the ActivTrak Agent
- Create an
at_install_argsfile in the same folder as your PKG installer:
- For Chrome, Edge and Opera, the extension should be installed before configuring the Agent. The extensions can be installed from the specific browser's web store. Additionally, Chrome and Edge can be installed via the following extension IDs:
Chrome: cpgdkomjahikojeoiigeidjpccncmjkh
Edge: gandpjcpohekjcecaomnejegkmbcmdje
- Save the file, then run the PKG installer. The Agent reads these settings during the installation process.
| Enable specific browsers |
--USE_CHROME_EXT 1
|
| Enable all browsers at once |
--USE_ALL_EXTS 1
|
macOS overview
| Browser extension | Mac Agent | INI file enable |
|---|---|---|
| All supported browsers | 8.3+ |
--USE_ALL_EXTS 1
|
| Chrome | 8.3+ |
--USE_CHROME_EXT 1
|
| Edge | 8.4+ |
--USE_EDGE_EXT 1
|
| Firefox | Always enabled | |
| Opera | 8.3.4+ |
--USE_OPERA_EXT 1
|
Firefox on macOS
Firefox on macOS works differently from other browsers. The agent can't capture Firefox URLs without an extension, making it incompatible with fully silent deployments since users see the extension icon.
How the Firefox Extension works
When you install the ActivTrak Agent on macOS, it includes the Firefox extension automatically. The extension stays disabled until manually activated by the user.
- Close Firefox completely before installing the agent
- Right-click Firefox in the dock
- Select "Quit" (not just close windows)
- Install the ActivTrak Agent normally
- Open Firefox and enable the extension
- Look for the yellow ActivTrak icon in the toolbar
- Click to enable the extension
- URL tracking starts immediately
Important Firefox considerations
- Visibility: The extension icon appears in the browser toolbar and Add-ons menu. Users can see and potentially disable it.
- Timing matters: Firefox must be closed during agent installation. If Firefox was installed after the agent, you'll need to reinstall the agent.
- Automatic cleanup: Uninstalling the agent automatically removes the Firefox extension—no separate removal needed.
- Can't be hidden: Unlike other browsers, Firefox extensions can't deploy silently. Consider Chrome or Edge if discrete monitoring is required.
Account-wide enablement
ActivTrak Assist Browser Extensions require specific Agent versions, as outlined below:
| ActivTrak Agent Version | Supported ActivTrak Assist Browser Extension(s) |
|---|---|
| Windows Agent < 8.3.4 | Chrome (Download) |
| Windows Agent ≥ 8.3.4 |
Chrome (Download) Edge (Download) Firefox (packaged with Agent installer) Opera (Download) |
| macOS Agent < 8.3 | Firefox (packaged with Agent installer) |
| macOS Agent ≥ 8.3.3 |
Chrome (Download) Edge (Download) Firefox (packaged with Agent installer) Opera (Download) |
We strongly recommend that ActivTrak Assist Browser Extensions be deployed like other extensions using Group Policies (GPO) specific to each browser. For some browsers, we support a Force Install method, which should be reserved for testing on problematic computers before rolling out account-wide via GPO.
Additional permissions are required for ActivTrak Assist Browser Extensions to operate in private or incognito browsing modes, or private browsing can be disabled entirely via GPO.
Once you have verified that browser extension(s) have resolved ‘URL unavailable’ issues on affected computers, you may decide to deploy this solution account-wide.
To make this process simpler, we have controls that allow you to enable browser extensions remotely without the need for uninstalling and reinstalling the Agent. For now, to make changes to these settings, you will need to contact Support.
Account-wide settings
Computers on Windows Agent 8.4+ and macOS Agent 8.4+ can be enabled remotely from the ActivTrak app by contacting Support. Please ensure that for each machine, either no users currently have the extension installed, or all users for that machine have it installed.
- Navigate to Settings > Account Configuration > Agent and User tab
- Scroll down to Browser Extensions
- Review which browser-OS combinations are enabled
Troubleshooting
Still seeing "URL unavailable"
- Verify extension is enabled in browser's extension menu
- Clear browser cache and cookies
- Check agent version meets minimum requirements
- Confirm extension deployment completed
Extension not appearing
- Browser may need restart after installation
- Verify correct command line parameters used
- Check Group Policy isn't blocking extensions
- Try force install option if available
Performance issues
- Extensions add minimal overhead (under 10MB memory)
- Check for conflicts with other browser extensions
- Update to latest agent and extension versions
Best practices
- Test deployment on pilot group before organization-wide rollout
- Use Group Policy for consistent enterprise deployment
- Document which browsers have extensions enabled
- Monitor Computer Agents page for URL capture success rates
- Consider force install only for testing, not production
- Keep agents updated for latest extension compatibility
Next steps
- Review agent deployment methods for your environment
- Configure tracking schedules for your teams
- Check Agent Health Status to verify proper installation